Fire-tufted barbet | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Piciformes |
Family: | Megalaimidae |
Genus: | Psilopogon |
Species: | P. pyrolophus |
Binomial name | |
Psilopogon pyrolophus S. Müller, 1836 |
The fire-tufted barbet (Psilopogon pyrolophus) is a species of bird in the Asian barbet family Megalaimidae. It was once placed in the same family as the toucan before being moved to the Asian barbets.
The moderately large bird(28 cm), the adult birds are overall green in appearance and have a brownish-maroon nape, grey lores, white band on the forehead, throat green, followed by a bright yellow band before a black band, appearing like a necklace separates the belly. The bill is fawn colored with a black vertical band. Tufts of feathers at the base of beak. Upper tufts fiery orange in males.
Found in Broad leaved evergreen montane forests between 1070–2010 m in Sumatra, southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia.
This species is locally common and sighted in pairs or in small groups, often in emergent canopy or at mid-canopy near forest edges. Like other barbets, they use tree cavities to nest. They are primarily frugivores. Their call is very similar to cicadas
This species is known to have a large range and though the population appears to be decreasing, it has been classified as Least Concern under IUCN Red List criteria. The primary threat to this species appears to be illegal capture and trade as a pet
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